The Leopardess Fierce: Living the Dream
by TwilightWorshipper14
Summary: Meet Princess and Arch Duchess Aziza Kafele Iliniat, the second child and only daughter of Emperor Kaddar and Empress Kalasin:Dear Family, I have not been kidnapped, stolen or killed.I have run away to become the person you do not want me to be.I am on my way to Tortall to visit the world. Mama, you said I could not follow my dreams of becoming a Lady Knight...I cannot accept that.
1. Summary

Disclaimer: I do not own Tamora Pierce's world (Tortallian or otherwise) and any recognizable characters are more than likely to be a product of Tamora Pierce's imagination. Any characters, places, names, etc. that relate to or seem similar to actual places/people are not intended. Aziza is my character, most of the others probably aren't. Please do not steal my writing or character and if you review (please do!) then let it be constructive criticism please, I do not mind flames if they are helpful. Anything else is just a mood dampener and let's face it, with the world the way it is, we don't need anymore negativity. Thank you and please enjoy the story.

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Summary

Princess Aziza Kafele Iliniat is determined to become a Lady Knight like her mother, Empress Kalasin once dreamed of doing. The only hitch in her plan? Her mother wants her to abandon that particular dream the way she did so long ago because of a bribe from her father, King Jonathan. Aziza, though, is far too headstrong to conform to her mother's plans for her so she does the only rational thing she _can_ do…she runs away and disguises herself as a boy to train as a knight.

Far from a light-hearted and merry tale though, this will be a story about Aziza's long and winding trail on the road to becoming a page, squire and finally a Lady Knight- all against her mother's wishes. This will be a tale about lies and manipulation and a single princess's ambition that could cost her life in the end.

Thus begins the adventures of Aziza and her long, winding trail towards redemption.

What was the saying again?

The higher the pedestal, the farther the fall…if only she hadn't placed the image of herself so high in her head….maybe _then_ she could have avoided this terrible fate…then again, when the gods and goddesses themselves are interested in you, avoiding your fate isn't the easiest thing to do.

Can she make it out of this…alive… _and_ as the next Lady Knight?

There's only one way to find out.

Read on and try not to judge _too_ quickly.


	2. Chapter One

Author's Note: Hello everyone! To returning readers...yes, I do realize I have other stories to update so don't kill me! To new readers, this is the first installment in this series and I hope you enjoy it! Feel free to helpfully critisize, leave a smiley face or a review letting me know your likes/dislikes of what I have given so far! I have several chapters typed out already and an outline in place so I won't get stuck in the typing of this story. The updating dates will be every Monday and if I'm feeling nice from all the reviews (hint, hint;) then I may update twice in one week. All that said, please enjoy this first chapter.

 ** _Rating:_ K+ - ** Suitable for more mature children, 9 years and older, with minor action violence without serious injury. May contain mild coarse language. Should not contain any adult themes.

 ** _Word_ _Count:_ _1, 730 (Only taking into account the words of the actual story. A/N's do not count or anything else outside of the story.)_**

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 ** _This story starts as most do…with a Once Upon a Time there was a girl named Princess Aziza…_**

Chapter One

"Great…Mother…Goddess…" The breathed words escaped her without permission as she stared at the poufy hair belonging to a visiting noble from Tortall and a moment later, the muffled, immature snickers of her father, Kaddar Gazanoi Iliniat, the Emperor of Carthak rang out into the silent courtroom. Her mouth snapped shut and a mortified blush swept over her smooth golden cheeks, lingering baby fat hiding cheekbones that she wistfully hoped she had inherited from both her father and mother.

The lords and ladies of the court were staring, shocked at the escaped words from the youngest child of their rulers.

Slowly, ever so slowly, the child turned her head to where her mother was seated upon a golden throne. Her mother's brilliant sapphire eyes were carefully composed, coal black hair twisted and braided into an intricately done style on her head, small red mouth smooth but carrying the unmistakable purse that said she was in _major_ trouble.

After a moment, Empress Kalasin Iliniat, named Kally only to her family and closest friends, rose from her throne. She stood with elegant grace in the gentle curve of her neck and the demure way her lashes swept to hide her eyes. She was dressed in a pale blue under robe with the purest white silk robe over it, sapphire petals embroidered on the hem and sleeves of the over robe. Light blue slippers trimmed in dark blue and white peeked out from the hem of her robes as she began to walk over to her youngest daughter, holding out her hand as she passed by.

Not wanting to incur her mother's wrath anymore than necessary, the young girl placed her smaller hand in her mother's; shooting one, desperate, pleading look to her only other sibling, her older brother, Binur Asim Iliniat, or, Nuri as she fondly referred to him. Beside him was seated their cousin, Lianokami of Conté, Lian, who was visiting them for their bi-monthly visit.

Lounging elegantly back on a smaller but no less impressively golden throne, Nuri shot her a twinkling look of merriment from blue-green eyes, the most curious mix of their mother and cousin's sapphire eyes and their father's eye color of the palest, cat-like green. The message was clear- she would get no help from him, despite the fact that he had been in on it (also known as making fun of visiting nobles) from the beginning.

Beside Nuri, Lian's shoulders began to shake with silent laughter and she turned away to hide it from her aunt and uncle, the Emperor and Empress. All that could be seen was a mop of coal-black hair and shaking sapphire clothed shoulders.

A scowl forming between her eyebrows, she shot them a vengeful look from identical blue-green eyes as she reluctantly followed partially behind and partially beside her mother, who was sweeping imperiously towards the doors.

"You must excuse us, it seems my daughter, the Arch Duchess Aziza Kafele Iliniat, needs a refreshment on her manners." Empress Kalasin spoke, her voice light and melodic. Her beauty shone in the way she smiled out at her court- just moments before she exited the large room with her daughter in tow.

"Mama-" Aziza began, in a last effort to placate her furious mother.

"Hush." There harsh rebuke was not unearned but the girl winced and lowered her gaze to the floor all the same.

Empress Kalasin glanced down at her young daughter and silently sighed before speaking once more.

"This is not a conversation to be held where many ears can hear. You will wait to speak until we are in our private quarters." Kalasin said, softer this time. Her daughter shot a careful, questioning look up at her from beneath dark lashes, a slightly pleading shine to her liquid blue-green gaze.

Kalasin immediately diverted her gaze ahead of her, well aware of her daughter's clever tactics that have gotten her out of trouble in the past.

They continued in silence, sweeping through the elegant hallways, golden statues adorning the walls as they passed. The ceilings were high and arched, painted like the sky with golden starts twinkling down below. It created a feeling of open space and security that had comforted the Empress ever since she moved to Carthak to marry a man she knew she had already begun to love.

Walking past a lord and lady, Empress Kalasin spared a moment to nod to her nobles before taking a sharp turn that would lead out into the Imperial Quarters- that were, in actuality, more like an entire wing or two in a traditional palace.

The floors changed from gold-flecked marble to soft, black, fluffy rugs. The walls began to be covered in childish drawings, tapestries of ancestors, paintings of different lands and- family portraits. The small family of four seemed so normal in their portraits.

There was no posing, simply each of them being as they naturally are.

In one portrait, Aziza and her older brother, Nuri, had their heads thrown back in laughter, leaning shoulder against shoulder as they pointed at their parents- who just so happened to be covered in feathers and oil. Though they are not twins and are, indeed, separated by three years, the two siblings are close and because of their looks, are often referred to as, 'the Twins'.

The Twins have a habit of…ahem…merriment making- or, in the terms of their mother, taking after the Trickster God in causing chaos through mischief and pranks.

In another portrait, Nuri and Aziza, affectionately referred to as Ziza by her family, was curled up in her father's lap while she sleepily tugged on her brother's hair. She was eight years old and Nuri would have been around eleven at that time. He was dressed in the University robes that he had proudly shown off earlier that day- right before his 'bratty' younger sibling managed to pour milk all over them. As a result, he sported a rather uncharitable scowl in the portrait while his mother hide an amused smile behind a delicately raised hand, sapphire eyes twinkling with amusement at the family joke.

Empress Kalasin followed her daughter's gaze to the portrait and allowed her scowl to soften the slightest bit as she swept into the family living room.

A large fireplace lined the far wall with throw pillows, blankets and stuffed toys piled around it to emphasize where the family spent their time together. There was a family table made of elegant mahogany and gilded with more gold centered in the room, four chairs placed just so around it. On the table were important documents well protected by the Imperial Mages so that none other than the immediate Imperial family could read the documents.

Kalasin pulled out a chair and turned it, silently gesturing for her daughter to take a seat.

Aziza did so with a downcast expression, settling into the seat. Her pale pink under robe peaked out from under the hem of her soft golden over robe where it rode up the slightest bit around her ankles.

 _ **~LeopardessFierce~**_

"Now, what do you have to say for yourself?"

Nuri hurried past his father and favorite cousin, eager to see how big of trouble his younger sister managed to get herself into _this_ time.

Maybe she would get her pony taken away?

Or she could have been restricted to her schooling classes and then coming right back home to their family quarters.

Perhaps she was grounded from seeing her best friend, Sagira Nassar? That last one seemed a little harsh though…Nuri pushed the doors open and entered, stopping dead in the doorway at the sight that greeted him.

"What is it, cousin? Let me see!" Lian demanded, shoving her way past her older cousin. The cousins are separated by two years but still manage to be the best of friends- when Nuri's friends are not around.

He stopped stock still, sapphire eyes wide as he took in the scene.

Behind them, Kaddar huffed, pulling off his crown and setting it to the side on a stand made especially for carrying the Imperial Crown. He turned pale green eyes upon the room and a bright, booming laugh escaped him when he saw- not his daughter being scolded as they all expected- but mother and daughter curled up by the fire drawing on a sheaf of parchment with colored inks spread around them, some streaked on their faces from where they carelessly brushed their fingers against their skin.

"Papa!" Ziza cried, hopping up and hurtling herself across the room and into her father's arms. "Mama and I created a picture of Skysong! Come look, come look!" Aziza demanded, shooting a smug look at her brother and favorite cousin.

Exchanging long-suffering looks, Nuri and Lian turned to the lounging couches and flung themselves down. They truly should have known better than to think Aziza would get into trouble, she was notorious for creating the worst trouble and then wiggling her way out of any and all punishments.

"Amazing, my daughter!" Kaddar exclaimed to the picture, switching from the Carthaki tongue and speaking in the more comfortable Common tongue.

Skysong was a young dragon in the kingdom of Tortall, which, on a map, lies across the Inland Sea and to the north. Skysong was found by and is currently being raised by a famous Wild Mage, Veralidaine Sarrasri.

Beaming with pride up at her father, Aziza looked down at the picture of the dragon with beautiful grayish blue scales and sly, slanted eyes.

"Papa, have you and Mama decided yet?" Aziza asked, looking beseechingly at her parents. They both avoided her gaze and her smile slowly faded as she hopped down from her father's arms. Crossing her arms, she narrowed her blue-green eyes and raised her chin.

"Uh oh!" Lian whispered to Nuri, who nodded in agreement as they both watched the scene avidly.

"Now we know for sure she's going to get her own way. If she pulls out the, "I know what I want and you will not deny it to me" pose, our parents cave every time." Nuri whispered back. "My little sister is going to be a force to be reckoned with in Tortall- if she does get her wish to train as a Lady Knight."


	3. Chapter Two

**_Author's Note_** \- Reviews and their answers will be at the bottom of the story. Acknowledgements of follows and/or favorites will be at the bottom. Also, since I already posted a disclaimer in the summary then I will not be posting it again. Once should cover for the entire story, after all, in regular stories when someone makes a disclaimer they don't do it in every single chapter so I won't be either.

 ** _Rating:_ K+ - ** Suitable for more mature children, 9 years and older, with minor action violence without serious injury. May contain mild coarse language. Should not contain any adult themes.

 ** _Word_ _Count:_ 2, 353**

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 ** _Are you bored yet? No? Good, the story continues…_**

Chapter Two

"Darling, I just don't think this would be a good idea for you!" Empress Kalasin exclaimed to her ten, nearly eleven year old daughter.

"Well, why not?" Aziza exclaimed back, stamping her foot on the floor. The effect was muted by the fluffy black carpet on the floor but she wasn't sparing a moment for that. Instead, she was alternating between glaring at her mother- who did not want her to become a Lady Knight- and gazing beseechingly up at her father- who was rather torn about the entire situation.

On one hand, he wanted to support his daughter and help her lead the most fulfilling life possible- but on the other hand, Tortall was awfully far away for his tiny daughter to go…

"We have gone over this, Aziza! You are not mature enough to make this decision! I have spoken, enough is enough! You are not going to train as a Lady Knight, you are not going to be a warrior, you are not going to Tortall and that is final!" Empress Kalasin whirled around and stormed off in the direction of her and her husband's quarters, a loud slam indicating the door being shut rather violently moments later.

Aziza flinched at the sound and froze, her bottom lip quivering as she shot a look of betrayal at her father before she, too, whirled around and stormed off to her room, slamming the door with more force than strictly necessary.

"Wow, Papa! Way to go, now Mama _and_ Ziza are angry!" Nuri exclaimed from his spot on the couch beside Lian. Kaddar growled with frustration and flicked his fingers at his son, a smirk of satisfaction crossing his mouth when the small spell sparked against his son, giving him a small, reprimanding spark against the skin and prompting a startled yelp before his Gift began soothing the sting and fading away without a mark or feeling of pain left behind.

Kaddar gazed, sightless over at a treasured family portrait hanging over the fireplace of Aziza sprawled out on the floor, having been struck down by her brother, who had been pretending to be the Duke of Conté and she, the Lady Lioness playing dead. Kaddar frowned, reading into something deeper in the painting.

That could be his daughter someday if he were to allow her to live this dream of hers; she could be facing down dangerous enemies that could kill her with a single flick of their wrists, regardless of the fact that she also possesses the Gift. Aziza's Gift is small but has grown with her over the years, however, Kaddar isn't a fool. He has always remembered words hissed at him by his father: _No matter how strong or fast or intelligent you are, there will_ always _be someone faster, smarter and stronger than you in the world. It is everyone's destiny to face that person and see, in the end, who will emerge victorious._

As annoying as his son's words might have been, they were true.

What was he going to do now?

Both of his girls were upset and he had no clue what to do. He did not want to side against his beloved wife on such an important matter; however, he did not want to crush his child's dreams out of an irrational fear, either.

He sighed and began towards his room.

There was no right way about this.

He was going to have to decide on something eventually and pray to the Graveyard Hag and Kohns, the Carthaki god of the moon and light and truth, that all would turn out right in the end.

 _ **~LeopardessFierce~**_

"Mithros, I want to hate them!" Aziza stomped past her friend, Sagira, angrily before whirling around and storming in the opposite direction and then whirling around and so on. Her blue-green eyes were flashing with anger, the green more prominent than the blue, as it normally was with such turbulent emotions coursing through her.

"You _want_ to hate them but you _don't_." Sagira checked idly, her voice soft in comparison to her friend, the Arch Duchess and Imperial Highness of Carthak's temperamental tone. The two of them looked similar with the golden skin and dark hair tone but Sagira's eyes were almost amber and she was tall and gawky at the moment, nearly always tripping over anything in her path because of her most recent growth spurt.

"Of course!" Aziza snapped, nibbling on her lower lip.

How could she get her mother to agree to let her be a knight and her father to side with her?

"Ughh!" Aziza groaned. There was just no way!

"Aziza! Ziza, where are you?" The sound of her cousin's voice made her start and turn, peering out from behind the bush. Sagira and Aziza were hidden in their spot, the one they found together and that sealed their friendship when they were young.

Their spot is a rectangular space about ten steps wide and twelve steps long, as they counted off just this last year. It was small but cozy with a small comfy chair at one end, stacks of their favorite, weather proof books, snacks that Aziza charmed from the kitchens and blankets strewn across the ground. Tall, intricately carved bushes placed closely together ensured that none would stumble upon them.

Still, anything was possible with her cousin and brother, both of whom had the Gift, as did she.

Exchanging a slightly panicked look with Sagira, Aziza lifted up their woven mat of vines and they wiggled out of the small tunnel, escaping out onto the other side.

Quickly brushing each other off, they nodded briskly to each other and hooked arms, ducking their head together and resuming a conversation they had never even been having- all for the sake of the ruse.

"-and then Milan told Stevanya that Arlos wanted to kiss her!" Sagira exclaimed. Both girls wrinkled their noses, far too young to be considering young men kissable.

"What was that about kissing?" Nuri exclaimed, narrowing his blue-green eyes at them. Aziza and Sagira exchanged long-suffering looks and sighs, turning to the two intruders.

"None of your business!" Aziza said hotly, practically _daring_ her brother to argue. Of course, he couldn't back down from a dare but Lian quickly punched his arm, distracting him.

"Ow!" Nuri exclaimed, grasping his arm. The soft golden glow of his Gift around his palm shone between his fingers as he healed the small bruise that began to form.

"Sorry." Lian smiled sheepishly, not meaning to hit that hard. Nuri rolled his eyes but- successfully distracted- turned back to the girls.

"Mama and Papa want us back in our quarters, we have to finish getting sized up for our new robes." Nuri informed them, self-importantly, always pleased to have an excuse to boss his sibling around.

"What for?" Aziza asked absently and Nuri rolled his eyes again.

"For my going home ball!" Lian exclaimed, shooting her a slightly hurt look. Smiling apologetically, Aziza skipped forward (dragging Sagira- who was used to this and tolerated it with a patient smile) over to Lian's side.

"Mama said I had to wear the robes this time. I was hoping she would let me dress in my _shalwar kameez._ " Aziza said wistfully, ignoring the disbelief on her brother and cousin's faces, who know well how much Kalasin loved dressing up her only daughter.

The _shalwar kameez_ is a traditional style of casual dressing in Carthak. The _shalwar_ are loose trousers that are wide at the top and narrow down at the ankle. The loose fabric is light and easy to move in, the main reason why the citizens of Carthak, known for high heat and humidity, choose to wear the style of dress so often that it is considered a part of their culture. The _kameez_ is a long collarless tunic that is often worn with open side seams, also known as _chaak_ , that begin at the waistline that give more freedom to move but also allow a light breeze to circulate inside the clothing. The sleeves are traditionally wide but have begun to narrow down some.

It was Aziza's favorite style of dress, especially since she was able to look like a boy in them and could easily blend in with any normal citizen of Carthak, something she treasured. Aziza may like the attention being a Princess and Arch Duchess gave her but there were times that anonymity was greater than any treasure to her.

"Your mama was never going to allow you to wear that to my ball!" Lian protested, bouncing at their sides. Laughing, Aziza shook her head.

"You don't know that!" She protested and Lian grinned.

"I do too, because you aren't wearing your _shalwar kameez_ to my ball, now are you?" Lian teased. Aziza huffed and turned her nose up, to the laughter of her brother, cousin and friend.

 _ **~LeopardessFierce~**_

Bored with the small but lively party, Aziza set down her cup at the table, dropping her chin in her palm as she watched her mother and father twirl around together to the soft music playing.

Lian and Nuri are laughing together by the dance floor with their other friends gathered around them. No doubt they are plotting some prank together if the looks of mischief are any indication.

Normally, Aziza would be in the thick of it, her mind churning out prank ideas faster than she could say them but not tonight. Tonight she mourns the loss of her future.

Her parents have declared that she is to follow in her brother's footsteps and study at the University. The University is famous throughout the world because it is taught by and teaches the greatest mages the world has known. The University teaches a wide variety of arts and subjects but the one thing Aziza wants to learn- they don't teach.

They can teach her how to be a mage the world will fear and respect in equal measures but that isn't what she wants.

She wants to train as a page in Tortall, in the city of Corus. She wants to earn her shield and return home, proud of what she has achieved. She may not swear allegiance to her grandfather, King Jonathan but she _will_ swear her allegiance to her father. Serving Carthak as a knight of the realm is her greatest desire, why can't they see that?

Sighing again, Aziza stood and began to walk over to her cousin and brother.

Maybe some pranks _would_ make her feel better –

"-yes, yes. It is surprising that Kalmyk Nazari's little brother, Seif would choose to go learn from the Bazhir instead of train as a page-" Aziza froze and drifted closer to the two quietly speaking ladies. "-to become a knight of Tortall! Did you know, I saw the boy once, he was a small thing with dark hair and even darker eyes and such a quiet, bland personality. It was no surprise to me that he would choose to learn the secrets of Bazhir magic instead of the code of chivalry!" They tittered in amusement but Aziza had already moved on in a daze.

This boy, she had to find out about him and now!

A plot brewing in her mind, Aziza hurried away to find as much information as she could on Seif Nazari.

 _ **~LeopardessFierce~**_

"Sweetheart?" A gentle knock at the door sounded and Aziza groaned sleepily, rolling over and shoving her head under the pillow. "Aziza, are you going to come and send off your cousin with the family?" Kalasin asked through the door.

"No." Aziza called, injecting several notes of petulance, betrayal and anger into her sleepy voice.

On the other side of the door, Kalasin both flinched and narrowed her eyes with annoyance at her daughter's headstrong attitude.

"Fine then, stay inside and pout. No sweets and no leaving the family quarters until we return. Am I understood?" There was a pause before something resembling a groaning yes reached her ears. A small, reluctant smile pulling at her mouth, Kalasin turned and joined her husband, son and niece.

"She isn't coming?" Lian asked, slightly disappointed. She had hoped to see her cousin one last time before they were to be separated again. The three of them aren't able to see each other all that often anymore, not since she started her page training the year before. This will be her second year as a page and that is a year-round thing with only a four month break for the summer from June to September that she sometimes has to take summer camp for.

When they were younger, the three of them had been able to visit each other every few months, now it is only about a month out of a year.

"Aziza is tired from last night. I don't think she's awake enough to send you off, I'm sorry, Lian." Kalasin apologized and Lian shrugged it off with a smile that didn't quite reach her darker sapphire eyes, the usual happy twinkle vanishing as though it had never even been there to begin with.

"It's fine. We said our goodbyes last night. We should probably be going. I don't want to keep the captain waiting for much longer." Lian replied woodenly, turning and walking out with a sympathetic but silent Nuri at her side.

"Is Aziza sick?" Kaddar asked his wife, slightly anxiously. Her small smile and elegant shake of her head relaxed him as he slipped an arm around her waist.

"She is grumpy that she is not going on the ship with her cousin to become a Lady Knight of Tortall. That is all." Kalasin answered softly, walking out with her husband.

"I hope we did the right thing." Kaddar said and Kalasin smiled up at him, love and confidence in her sapphire eyes that wasn't reflected back in pale green orbs.

"I'm sure we did." Kalasin shot one last glance over her shoulder, pausing as her husband stepped ahead and let her close the door behind her. "I hope we did…"

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Author's Note: Thank you to my follower Crazy Dyslexic Nerd and my two reviews: Crazy Dyslexic Nerd and UniquelyMi both of whom have excellent stories of their own in this fandom!


	4. Chapter Three

**_Rating:_ K+ - ** Suitable for more mature children, 9 years and older, with minor action violence without serious injury. May contain mild coarse language. Should not contain any adult themes.

 ** _Word_ _Count:_ 3, 301**

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 _ **Wow, you actually stuck around? Good for you! Now let's see what our main character is up to...**_

Chapter Three

Flinging back her covers, Aziza scrambled out of bed, dressed in stiff, Tortallan clothing and hating it. The high collars scratched her throat, the stiff fabric chafed her skin and the shoes! Oh, how they pinched!

Still, nothing could dim her excitement for what she is about to do, nothing!

Dragging a large satchel out from under her bed, Aziza slung it across her body and hurried over to her window, sliding it open. Climbing up onto the window sill, she balanced there for a moment, taking a huge breath before she jumped.

Landing with a muffled thump on the huge pile of blankets placed underneath her window last night, Aziza rolled free and struggled to her feet, nearly tipping over from the weight of her large bag on her back. Quickly getting her balance back, she set off at a brisk trot for the stables, rapidly stuffing her long, dark hair underneath her boyish cap.

If her mother had come into her room instead of talking from outside, Aziza would have been caught before she was even started on her journey! Luckily, the two of them are stubborn and Kalasin did not want to face the mistake she knew she was making.

Blinking her eyes, Aziza wrinkled her nose, not entirely used to the feeling of the contacts in her eyes.

Because she has perfect eyesight, Aziza has never had to use the invention a mage at the University came out with a little over a year ago. Luckily, these contacts were cheap and easy to find, it seems brown is the most common color of contacts to purchase.

Reaching the stables, Aziza took a moment to gently stroke the nose of her favorite mount. The tall gelding was pure white with a spray of golden dapples over his body. His real name was Falling Stars of Gold or Golden Stars but Aziza prefers to call him Freckles.

Freckles nickered gently, blowing on her fingers and accepting the sugar cube, peering after her when she hurried on by. Odd, the human normally spent more time lathering attention on him than that.

Oh well.

"There you are! Aziza!" Sagira called loudly.

"Shhh!" Aziza hissed, hurrying over to her friend and clapping a hand over her mouth. "I'm not supposed to be here, remember?"

Sagira huffed and straightened her shirt, knocking her friend's arm to the side in the process.

"I know that. Mostly because this plan means you are leaving me behind." Sagira snapped, loneliness in her voice. Neither of the girls really have any friends outside of each other, this is going to be the longest time apart for them in their entire lives.

"I'm sorry that this means we have to be apart but I cannot ignore what my destiny is. I just _know_ I am not destined to be a great mage, I am destined to be a fierce warrior Lady Knight. If I did not know this, _truly_ in my heart…you know I would not go, right?" Aziza asked hesitantly and there was a pause before Sagira yanked her into a quick hug.

"Of course I do. Promise me you will be careful?" She asked, her voice muffled.

"I promise." Aziza nodded seriously. "Now, do you have Apples ready to go?" Aziza asked, referring to Sagira's dark red gelding.

"Yes. We better hurry if we are going to get you all the way to the bay before the boat leaves. Come on!" Sagira grabbed Aziza's hand and they raced to the proper stall, sliding the bolt back and opening the stall door. Sagira strapped on her helmet and swung up, sliding her feet out of the stirrups so Aziza could use them to swing on after her.

Inwardly grimacing at the prospect of the uncomfortable feeling sure to follow, Aziza held on tight as Sagira urged Apples out onto the streets.

If there is one thing Aziza is _not_ good at, it's riding horses. She loves them from the ground but in the saddle, she just doesn't feel safe.

Clinging to her friend as the world began to blur from their speed, Aziza buried her face in Sagira's neck and held on for dear life.

It was lucky she had already said goodbye to Carthak because if she hadn't, she wouldn't have been able to even if she wanted to. The prospect of opening her eyes while they were going so fast terrified her so Aziza kept her face buried in her friend's neck the whole time until they began to slow.

"Are we there yet?" Aziza asked shakily, lifting her head and opening her eyes.

"We had to slow down because of- well, you can see."

Aziza's heart sunk.

She _could_ see what her best friend meant.

The streets were crowded with people eager to send off the well-known Princess from Tortall. It was funny, really. Lian does not have any Carthaki blood in her at all, she is Tortallan and Yamani, as shown by her slanted eye shape, the pale shade of her skin and certain features but because of her frequent visits to visit her favorite cousins, she has become well known in Carthak. The people have watched her grow with her two cousins and so the send off Lian is receiving is similar to what the Prince and Princess of Carthak might receive if they were leaving- though on a slightly smaller scale, of course.

"We have to find a way through this!" Aziza shouted, trying to be heard over the dull roar of the crowd. Sagira nodded her head and turned Apples, moving down a side alley and kicking him into a fast canter through the empty streets.

Recognizing the route her friend is taking, Aziza held on tight. The back way is going to take longer but hopefully, will be less crowded the closer they get to the wharf.

Through the heart-pounding maze of twists and turns, Aziza held her breath and prayed to any of the goddesses and gods that may happen to be watching over them right now.

 _'Please, Great Mother Goddess, Mithros, the Graveyard Hag…please let me begin my destiny.'_ Aziza prayed, putting her heart and soul into it.

They finally emerged from the back alleys, just in time to see the royal carriages come to a stop. Aziza's eyes widened and she slid off of Apples, landing awkwardly with a grunt. Her thighs are already beginning to ache and she groans, rubbing the spots and looking up at her friend with a disgruntled expression but the look is wiped away by the sadness on Sagira's face.

"I am going to miss you, my friend. I will write to you every single day and you better write back!" Aziza swore fiercely and Sagira smiled just as fiercely back.

"I promise, long live the rebellious Princess Aziza! I will cover for you as long as I can! Long live and god speed!" Laughing waving over her shoulder at her best friend, Aziza began to wiggle through the crowd, frowning when they didn't move out of her way like they normally do.

It was a bit of a shock to realize that maybe…maybe she hadn't been as undercover as she had thought she was on previous excursions through her kingdom. Had everyone recognized the princess dressed as a boy and played along?

It seemed so because Aziza was getting nowhere fast with how slowly she was moving.

Throwing caution to the wind- along with her manners- Aziza began shoving and elbowing people out of her way, leaving a trail of angry frowns and shouts at her back. Ignoring them, Aziza ducked down and began to crawl, gagging when she placed her hand in something she really didn't want to look twice at.

Hurriedly brushing it off on someone's trousers, Aziza finally broke free of the crowd and scrambled to her feet, racing for the docks.

She had just made it to the end of the ramp that would lead onto the large, elegant Tortallan style ship named _The King's Lady Luck_ when she was stopped by a tall, stern looking sailor dressed in a smart, Tortallan military uniform.

Snapping into a sharp salute- as taught to her by her father, Aziza squirmed beneath his scrutiny. He was a stocky man with skin that at one point had been fair but from his time on the sea had reddened. His red-brown hair was cut short on the sides and curled tightly on the top. His sharp brown eyes under thin eyebrows watched her sternly, his small mouth pursed.

"You, boy. What are you doing off the ship? Get back with the other lads." He commanded, an air of order to his light baritone voice, the slightest bit of a northern burr in it. He seemed like a man used to being in control and for a moment, Aziza bristled, not used to being spoken to in that tone of voice.

As the Princess of Carthak and the Arch Duchess with several lands she stands to inherit once she comes of age, Aziza is already a force to be reckoned with and there are very few nobles in her father's court that are willing to be on her or her brother's bad side.

She nearly opened her mouth and snapped something along the lines of who he thought he was, talking to the Princess and Arch Duchess Aziza Kafele Iliniat, the daughter of the Emperor Kaddar and his wife Empress Kalasin to like that?

But at the last moment, she caught her pride and reluctantly swallowed it, realizing for the duration of her time on the ship, she will be a simple cabin boy and deck monkey. She is not a princess from here on out. She is simply Kaolin, a young, orphaned boy that managed to become a cabin boy for one of the King's personal ships.

That is all.

"Captain Whiteford! Our princess has arrived!" One of the cabin boys rushed up and the Captain turned to him, jerking his head at Aziza.

"I will go greet her, escort this boy back to the others and set him some work. There must be a punishment for thinking he could escape off the ship and return with none the wiser." Captain Whiteford said gruffly, brushing off his military coat and striding off the ship.

"Who're you?" The boy demanded, narrowing his light blue eyes spitefully. He was dressed in a brown tunic edged in sapphire, the royal colors used by the working class.

"I'm a new cabin boy," Aziza answered, sharply aware of how feminine her voice sounded when he narrowed his eyes even more and scoffed.

"You're a girl, anyone can see that!" He exclaimed and she shook her head but kept silent. After a moment of looking at her, he turned and started walking. "Come on, I'll not argue with my Captain. That's the way to get thrown overboard." He called cheerfully over his shoulder.

Aziza's eyes widened.

"What? Would he really toss you over?" Aziza exclaimed, forgetting for a moment to be quiet. The boy shot a look over his shoulder at her and shrugged but the mischievous gleam in his eyes told her he was just having her on. Falling silent, Aziza followed him through the elegant ship and down a set of stairs into the belly of the ship.

"All right lads! Listen up, we have a new cabin boy. This here is-" He paused and looked at Aziza expectantly, who stared back at him blankly before flushing.

"My name is Kaolin." She said simply and they stared at her for a moment, the collection of boys varying in size and color.

"Where's he sleeping?" One boy with dark blonde hair called out. "We're all full!" He jerked his thumb at the swinging hammocks along the walls. Before any of them could speak, Aziza took a deep breath and spoke up.

"I'm to be the Princess's cabin boy." Aziza proclaimed and there was a moment of silence before they roared with laughter.

"Good one, Kaolin!" The boy that escorted her down to the ship chortled. "None of us are good enough for the likes of her Royal Highness!" There was a slight sneer in his voice and Aziza bristled automatically in the defense of her favorite cousin. Her eyes flashed at him but the effect was somewhat muted by her dull brown contacts. "No, you will be sleeping on the floor until we rig up another hammock. For now, your duties are to learn the riggings of the ship." The boy said and Aziza clenched her jaw but kept silent, struggling with being nothing more than…a commoner.

"All right lads, you know your duties so get to it!" The boy in command called out and there was a rush of movement while he turned back to Aziza. "My name is Troy Wheeler and I am in charge of the cabin boys when the sailors are not in need of us. Set your bag on the floor by any cot and welcome to _The King's Lady Luck_!"

With that, he clapped a hand to her shoulder and left.

* * *

It was taking _forever_ to get to Tortall.

All right, fine. It had only been a fortnight but it was feeling far longer than that, mostly because Aziza had never been away from her family for this long. Even on trips to Tortall that she barely remembers because they were so long ago, she always had her brother and mother and sometimes her father with her.

Now, she has Lian but at the same time, she doesn't have Lian because she doesn't even know she is on the ship.

She was going to tell her after they set sail but Troy had set so many jobs for her that she was exhausted each and every night when she finished. She could barely keep her eyes open long enough to eat- not that she wanted to the first few days. It took her nearly a week to get her sea legs and by that time, her stomach had rebelled several times and rather violently too.

Now, however, she has her sea legs and Troy wasted no time in setting her to the rigs. She was instructed to climb up and down the woven rigging to learn the ropes. Literally. In addition to all of the climbing which left her sore in her arms, shoulders, back and even her legs, she had to begin memorizing the various knots and weaves needed to repair and create rope that could then be woven into the rigging so it would stay sturdy and strong even with the salt water and salt air eating away at it.

Her sheltered golden skin is more of a darker brown now because of the constant sun and for once in her life, she has freckles. Freckles! Of all the undignified things for a princess to have.

On top of that, the sea air is making the contacts in her eyes constantly itch and now her eyes are sore and red all the time from her rubbing at them, something that makes her even more miserable than before, especially since her Gift is on the fritz and she barely has enough energy to light a candle, much less heal her eyes. Her hair is a wreck from the salt in the water and on top of that, she's been getting strange looks from the other boys because of how long her hair is.

Aziza has honestly been considering loping it off. It would help her blend in better with the boys which she is going to need when she masquerades as Seif Nazari of the Copper Isles.

At the very least, she has been doing a fairly good job of keeping it tucked under her hat so none of the sailors or members of the King's Own have had any reason to suspect she is anything other than the boy she is pretending to be.

"You almost done up there or are you still daydreaming?" Troy shouted from the deck. Aziza rolled her eyes and glanced down. He looked so tiny from how high she was on the rigging. Firmly shaken out of her thoughts, Aziza continued up the rigging until she reached the crow's nest, the highest part of the ship- and the most dangerous.

It creaked and swayed beneath her feet but Aziza hardly paid any attention to that anymore.

It was lucky she only had a minor fear of heights and after being forced to come up here multiple times by Troy and the other boys, Aziza learned to ignore the dizzying swooping in her stomach and the way her hands trembled and sweated. She still feels a minor prickle of fear at being so high but that is largely overshadowed by the thrilling feeling of freedom she gets from overlooking the vast, endless glittering blue sea.

Scanning the tranquil blue waters, Aziza lifted her gaze up to the clear, cloudless sky, a small frown crossing her face when she saw a shadow of darkness on the horizon. It could be a trick of her eyes but those looked like storm clouds…

Hurrying down from the crow's nest, Aziza dodged around a few of the other boys on the rigging, swinging recklessly down the woven rope until she landed nimbly on her feet, turning to Troy with a worried look.

He looked a little startled at how easily she navigated the rigging but brushed that to the side in light of her words.

"Looks like a storm on th' horizon, Troy," Aziza said, her voice rough and low. After the first few days with the other boys, Aziza learned to modify her voice into something low and rougher than a girl's would be so she could blend in better.

Troy had sent her a few strange looks after hearing her speak that way but since has gotten used to it, as have all the other boys.

"I'll alert the Captain, it could be something a weather mage has spelled up. You go help the other lads swab the deck. We have only a fortnight more and we land at Tortall so the Captain wants this deck gleaming like it is new." Troy ordered and hurried off in search of the captain.

The pitching and swaying of the deck didn't faze any of them, they had gotten so used to being light on their feet.

Turning to do as the commanding older boy said, Aziza's eyes widened when she saw Lian, looking bored, crossing the deck in her direction. For once she didn't have a gaggle of court ladies around her and it startled Aziza.

For a moment, she was tempted to call her cousin over and reveal herself but common sense won out and Aziza turned, ducking her head to the side so her face was slightly shaded and engaging one of the passing sailors in a talk about the wind speed until her cousin pass by none the wiser.

* * *

Thank you so much for your compliments _dares to dream_ , I really appreciate you taking the time to post a review!


	5. Chapter Four

**_Rating:_ K+ - ** Suitable for more mature children, 9 years and older, with minor action violence without serious injury. May contain mild coarse language. Should not contain any adult themes.

 ** _Word_ _Count:_**

* * *

 _ **Mischief abound, let's see what Aziza and Crew are up to now...**_

Chapter Four

"Land ho!"

The loud shout made sighs of relief and cheers of gratitude resound over the ship. Aziza added her voice to the calls, a buoyant feeling sweeping over her. She had done it! For two fortnights she had managed to disguise herself as a boy and no one knew it! Maybe her plan could work out, she really hoped it would.

Now that land was in sight, there was a mad rush to be presentable.

The ship was not in nearly good shape as it was when it showed up in Carthak because those storm clouds Aziza had spotted were more dangerous than any of them had predicted. The storm raged on for nearly a week, leaving them constantly drenched and in danger of the ship flooding and going down.

Gunpowder and other items had to be tossed overboard, several the cannons following because it was dragging them down.

The mast kept tearing and the rigging boys had to be sent up in the middle of the storm with a rope around their waists so if they happened to be thrown overboard, they could be hauled back in. Aziza had been sent up in the riggings several times by choice and by order.

Twice, she had been thrown overboard and hauled back in but she refused to give up, going back up in the riggings despite protests from several of the sailors and cabin boys.

Still, she and several of the boys got the job done and the mast was fixed, the rigging was fixed and Aziza attempted to volunteer to keep watch in the crow's nest, which was even more dangerous in the middle of such a ferocious storm.

Luckily, Captain Flyndan Whiteford (not the captain of the ship, only of the King's Own) had interceded, sending her down to the kitchens to warm up and help prepare a meal for the Princess- who was tucked away in her room, safe and sound.

No one wanted to have to explain to the King of Tortall and his son, the Crown Prince about how and why their daughter and granddaughter was thrown overboard in the middle of such a dangerous storm.

The mast had several long stitching through it from where it had been repaired, smaller and less important tears fluttering in the breeze. The deck was splotchy and soaked from the water but there were boys already scrubbing at the deck.

Hurrying over to join them, Aziza nearly bumped into her cousin and muttered an apology, ducking past with her face tilted away. Hopefully, she wouldn't recognize her because of how she had changed- during a short reprieve from the storm, Aziza had finally chopped her hair off so that it barely reached past her shoulder. The boys helped her even it out so that it was just long enough to be pulled back into a short horsetail like the nobles at Corus would have it- not that she told them that was the reason why she wanted her hair done like that. No, her reason, while true, was not the entire truth. She told them it was heavy and soggy and she never wanted it that long anyway- her parents just made her keep it that length.

There weren't any more questions after that since they were all under the impression that she was an orphan and they didn't want to pry into a sensitive subject. Especially not while the other sailors were fighting for their lives and the lives of everyone aboard the ship.

Aziza remembered why she didn't like short hair once the storm eased up- when her hair was long, it was mostly straight with a bit of wave to it but when it was shorter, even just past her shoulders, it grew curlier and curlier. The curls in her hair weren't very big at the moment but once she was back into the lifestyle she grew up in, they would get healthy and then the curls would be a little more prominent.

Gods above though, she was never going to cut her hair any shorter than just past her shoulders!

Grabbing a rag and a bucket, Aziza dropped to her knees and began scrubbing, her hands roughened with all that she has been through. There are some cracks in her palms and several calluses she has proudly earned from the riggings, a small scar going through the pad of her right pointer finger from where she cut it during the storm by helping shove one of the cannons over.

The sharp edge caught her finger, slicing it down to the bone.

Thankfully, the ship's Surgeon had a Gift in healing and heal it he did. He was going to heal it so the scar would not remain but Aziza told him she wanted it, as a reminder of what her time on the ship was like.

He had looked at her like she was crazy but accepted it and moved on to the next person in line.

"Steady on, lads! It'll just be a day or two until we reach land!" A cheer rose up at Captain Sewell's words and Aziza grinned, renewing her scrubbing.

The mad scramble to be presentable paid off two days later when they finally sailed into port. The cheering people lining the docks to welcome one of their princesses' home looked on in awe at the ship. She was sleek but strong, small cuts along the side of the ship from where items were thrown overboard had swirled back around. The mast had been replaced with a brand new one found the day prior by Troy and was in the royal colors of red and gold edged with sapphire.

The sailors and cabin boys, proudly continued their jobs across the deck, Aziza swinging merrily from the rigging and waving as she passed by.

For one, exhilarating moment, she pretended the crowd was there to greet her as well as her cousin but the way their eyes slid past her and focused on the princess standing tall and surrounded by her court rapidly broke her from that daydream. Her smile faltered before Aziza hid it and continued up the rigging, doing her duty as a regular cabin boy.

* * *

"Listen up crew, you have all served admirably on The King's Lady Luck and as such, we have reached the end of our journey. Yes, that does indeed mean it is time to be paid!" A cheer rose and Aziza laughed, leaning into Troy's side.

The older boy laughed and winked, nudging her happily. They were both happy to finally be paid because it was one step closer to getting back onto land.

"Now, the captain has set out your pay so the cabin boys will hand it out." Moving on that signal, Aziza followed behind Troy to the front, taking a basket with pouches in it and distributing it to the proper people. The nobles had already unloaded and headed up to the palace.

The deck seemed both fuller and emptier than Aziza had ever seen it with the absence of the passengers.

Once she handed out all of the pouches, she returned to the front and set down her basket, standing with her hands behind her back, the same pose as the rest of the cabin boys.

"Now, let's hear it for our cabin boys, the bravest lot I've had the pleasure of sailing with!" The resulting roar of approval made Aziza beam with pride and straighten, her heart thumping in her chest in a dizzying whirl of emotion. "When I call your name, come up and receive your medal and pay."

Troy went up first, grinning wildly when the Captain pinned a small copper medal to his chest. The medal was to show his courage in the face of the storm, to show he didn't abandon ship- not that there would have been anywhere for them to go but a couple of the more cowardly sailors did jump ship when it seemed the storm would never end.

It had stunned, shaken and disgusted Aziza when she saw a sailor abandon his fellows in favor of flinging himself overboard and into the waiting arms of the Black God.

One by one the rest of the boys went up until it was just-

"Kaolin of Carthak!" The captain called and she hurried forward, accepting the pats on the back and rough ruffling of her short hair. Beaming with pride, she puffed out her chest with pride and stood before her captain with shining eyes. "You did good lad, you did good." He said lowly, resting his large hand on her slender shoulder before pinning not one but two medals on her chest. The copper medal was the same as the others handed out but the slightly bigger silver medal-

"What is this for, Captain?" Aziza asked, her eyes wide with shock and delight.

"What you did during that storm, climbing up that rigging, being flung overboard several times and still going back up- I've not seen the likes of it for a long time. That is true courage and true bravery and true loyalty and it deserves to be rewarded with a medal of Valor." Her eyes widened in amazement.

The Medal of Valor was not easy to come by, it was only given when a sailor had gone above and beyond the call of duty, risking their life several times in the process.

"Thank you, sir." Aziza bowed deeply and accepted her money pouch, turning and joining the boys, who cheered and ruffled her hair, slinging their arms around her shoulders and hooting as she turned red.

"That's our lad," Troy said proudly, nodding his head at her.

"Now, that is the end of our journey, my fine, and brave and bold sailors. You are dismissed! Long live, Godspeed and fine winds to you!" The Captain proclaimed.

Cheering with the others, Aziza slung her bag over her shoulder and scrambled off the ship with her friends, clinging on to Troy when she stepped on dry land, her legs wobbly beneath her. Laughing, Troy held on to her and another of their cabin boys to keep steady.

"We earned our sea legs, boys!" He called and they cheered back, staggering forward as best they could. Several times they fell, laughing raucously as they fell in a pile before struggling to lurch to their feet.

"How long until this goes away?" Aziza gasped, her stomach aching from all the laughter.

"Nearly a week!" Troy shouted back, a wide grin on his face. Laughing again and not knowing entirely why, Aziza gave up trying to hold her friend up, collapsing into loud laughter when he fell, swearing violently all the while. "It's not funny!" He crowed, snickering as he stumbled getting to his feet.

The group of them staggered down the street before coming to a stop at the top of a hill, all talk stopping when they caught sight of the city of Corus sprawled below them. The buildings shone, the land a patchwork of greens and beyond that- the palace. It rose against the sky, tall and proud and imposing and welcoming all at once.

It was stunning and it took their breath away.

"Amazing…" Aziza breathed, greedily drinking in the sight of the famous city of Corus, wonder shining in her eyes.

"I never thought this place would be so…so…" Troy struggled for words and she nodded in agreement, several of the other boys doing the same in their silent awe.

* * *

Several hours later in the dark of the night, Aziza slowly rose from her bed on the floor.

The quiet breathing of her fellow cabin boys around her sent a wave of nostalgia through her. She's going to miss every single one of them. The trip on the sea had been beyond her wildest dreams but Aziza wouldn't have passed it up for anything.

For a moment, she feels a pulse of longing, to continue being a sailor but her dream of becoming Lady Knight flashes through her mind and she sighs silently. Pulling a wrapped package from her pack, Aziza set it in plain sight with a letter to the boys telling them she had gone on to find her relatives and would miss them all.

She left her address as the palace for the moment and excused it by saying her relative worked in the palace.

Sweeping one last gaze over the boys, Aziza opened the door and silently left, running her fingers over a piece of rope around her wrist. The rope was one of many gifts from the lads. From the captain, inside her money pouch was a compass inscribed with her name and the date she had been on the ship to the date she left. The compass was small and only made of copper but the thought put into it made Aziza treasure it more than if it had been made of gold and crusted with jewels.

The boys had given her a grappling hook without the rope, teasing her that she would have to pay for that on her own, a simple dagger with the handle wrapped in leather and the rope around her wrist. They had teased, saying it was to keep her hands occupied and help her practice her knots with. They finished with saying she was the best one at the knots out of all of them despite only having a month to learn and they didn't want her to lose the skill even though she was no longer at sea.

The rope was a bit longer than the length of her arm so Aziza braided the rope together so that it was shorter and then braided it again to make it about three and a half fingers wide before wrapping it around her wrist as a thick bracelet. The dark rope was a bit odd but it was new and smooth and not at all itchy and Aziza treasured it as a memento- knowing full well the boys had pilfered it from the new rope in the holdings of The King's Lady Luck.

Along with the compass from the captain, her pay had included one gold bit, two silver nobles and eight copper nobles and five copper bits. It wasn't much, it would barely pay for room and board at an inn for one night, especially since she had left the silver noble to pay for her share of the room and food they had partaken in.

Heading outside, Aziza tugged the brim of her cap down low, tucked her hands in her pockets and began walking through the lower district at a slow, ambling pace. She kept a wary eye out for anyone that might try to rob her or anything worse.

The streets were fairly empty, after all, most everyone had taken the arrival of the Prince as an excuse to go the local taverns and drink until they passed out.

Still, there were some ladies wander about and not of the noble sort either. A few leered at her, mistaking her for a boy and while she felt distant gratification, Aziza hurried past without saying anything.

She didn't want to invite any sort of trouble before she even reached the palace.

It was a long walk with a few near misses, luckily the few that tried to rob her were so drunk they ended up stumbling and knocking themselves out without any help from her. Despite her hurry to get to the palace, she kept her pace slow and unhurried, not wanting to invite suspicion or anything else of the sort.

All she wanted to do was find a cheap inn close to the palace, rest, bathe in the morning and then get dressed in her actual nobles clothes. She had packed plenty of male noble clothing both Tortallan and Copper Isles style because that is how Seif, the boy she is impersonating, is going to be expected to dress. Sagira helped her sneak them from the laundering rooms back home.

Longing for her home swept over her, as it had more and more often with each passing day.

Aziza spared a moment to wonder what her parents and Nuri were doing. Doubtless, they would have discovered her absence and her letter explaining it by now but…she wondered if they were searching for her. Would she even know until it was too late?

Her brother was probably furious she left without saying goodbye but the only one in on the plot was Sagira. The more people she told, the better chance she would have of being caught and Aziza could not risk that.

The buildings around began to get a bit nicer, less wear and tear and more newness. Quickening her pace a bit, Aziza felt a bit of relief trickle through her.

It wasn't long until she came to an inn that didn't seem so rowdy, the soft golden light spilling out onto the clean cobblestone street. Glancing up at the sign with a rearing golden unicorn on it, Aziza smiled when she saw the name was just that- The Golden Unicorn.

Entering, Aziza looked around cautiously but most of the tables were empty. The tables that were not empty had quiet customers that didn't seem of the troublesome sort.

"How may I help you, sir?" A tall, slender lady asked quietly, looking Aziza over with quiet, searching eyes. "If you are here to cause trouble-" Her eyes lingered on the dagger and Aziza's old, worn clothing.

"No! Not at all. I was just…" Aziza ducked her head down and smiled sheepishly. "I was instructed to get a room by my Ma. She's down the street with Da and didn't want me listening to them argue." Aziza shrugged and stared down at her feet, twisting her fingers behind her back. Guilt swirled through her at the lie but the lady mistook it for shyness and softened.

"Come now, lad. Did she want a single room? Yes? Okay, that will be one gold bit and anything to eat? We are serving the stew with a helping of cornbread and meade- water or milk for you. That will be a single gold bit for each person. No? Okay then. How about a sweet? We have some chocolate tarts, those are only a silver noble when paired with some milk. Yes? Take a seat and I'll be right out." She said quietly, accepting the quiet nods or shakes of Aziza's head as answers.

She accepted the gold bit and the single silver noble without a word and turned, heading into the back while Aziza collapsed into one of the large, comfortable padded chairs set around a round table. She only has eight copper nobles and five copper bits left from her pay but luckily, she also has a couple handfuls of coins she stole from the hidden family stash- figuring in her letter that it would amount to the rest of her year's allowance.

Hopefully her parents wouldn't be too mad; she only took as much as she thought she would need. Tomorrow she could go down to the bank and get half of it changed into Tortallan coin and the other half into coin from the Copper Isles.

Yawning, Aziza slowly slumped further into the seat before catching herself and straightening, shaking herself off to make herself wake up a little. Outside, the sky was slowly turning red and pink and orange, signaling the dawn of a new day.

"Here you are lad, enjoy." The lady set down the cup and accepted the two coppers from Aziza with a quiet smile before turning and leaving. Aziza hungrily tucked into the large sweet, the flakey outside lightly crispy and the gooey chocolate center melting in her mouth with every bite. The rich chocolate flavor woke her up a little and Aziza hummed lightly in her throat, absently swinging her legs in the chair, happily finishing her treat and washing it down with warm, silky milk.

Another yawn broke free of her and this time, Aziza didn't mind.

She was ready to go to bed.

Following the lady up the stairs, Aziza entered her room and just barely remembered to lock it behind her before turning and collapsing on the soft bed, asleep within seconds.


End file.
